It was Cupid’s arrow that shot first for two Helston Rifle Club members who have now celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
Susan and Terry Curnow had lived on neighbouring farms as children, but it was not until they both became members of Helston and St Keverne Young Farmers’ Club that they properly met and realised a mutual attraction.
It is shared interests that have helped them stay married for 50 years now, following their wedding at Trewennack Chapel on September 26, 1970 when Susan was aged 22 and Terry 25.
Before then Susan had been working as a typist for RNAS Culdrose’s helicopter school, but left to run their first farm together, Pollard Farm near Pemboa, on the outskirts of Helston.
They were there for 11 years, before moving to Tregoon Farm just outside of Gweek in 1981, where they will have lived for 40 years next year.
The couple continued farming up until around three years ago, when they sold the land but remain living in the farmhouse.
Over the years their work has changed, initially starting out with a milking herd at Pollard Farm - which continued until 2015 - before moving to Tregoon where they focussed mainly on potatoes and other crops, with some beef cattle, up to their retirement.
For the last 45 years they have also been heavily active members of Helston and District Rifle Club, which has a 25-yard shooting range at the back of Station Road, near to the former Jewsons yard.
Susan is currently club captain, and while the club has been forced on hold since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, it hopes to begin meeting again from next week after a full safety assessment.
The couple also enjoy taking Terry’s selection of vintage tractors, largely David Browns, to shows around Cornwall.
Susan said it was these shared mutual interests that had led to a happy marriage for the last five decades, adding: “We both enjoy shooting and we also worked together on the farm.”
The couple held an ‘open house’ celebration on Saturday to mark their anniversary, run on a rota system so that they welcomed four people every hour.
“It was a chance to see family and friends really,” said Susan.
The couple received 40 cards and instead of presents they asked for donations to the Cornwall Air Ambulance, raising a total of £305 for the charity.
The couple had their celebration cake made for them and also laid on a spread of food for those visiting.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here